Stuffed figures, especially stuffed animals such as teddy bears, are widely recognized as objects of affection and amusement for many children. In order to capitalize on this affection, products have been made which incorporate stuffed figures or animals into their designs. The resulting products are often highly desirable to children and adults alike, as children enjoy the product appearance and adults appreciate the corresponding greater likelihood of use by the children. In the past, support devices such as chairs have so incorporated stuffed figures into their design. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,573, which is herein incorporated by reference, discloses a type of stuffed figure chair with a seat disposed between the figure's legs. In order to provide proper support to allow a child to lean back against the figure, a rigid frame is disposed within the body of the stuffed figure. While functional, this design suffers from several shortcomings.
Specifically, the cost of manufacture is quite high as a result of the expense of both the manufacturer of the frame and its placement inside the stuffed figure. In addition, because the frame often shifts within the figure during use, the frame could move out of position and thereby diminish the support characteristics of the chair. Furthermore, the stuffed figure was less than an ideal toy because a child, upon pouncing on or playing with the stuffed figure, could be jarred by the frame and suffer injury.